


How To Catch A Thief

by Coallaii



Category: Dash Tag (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Childhood Friends, Crushes, Fluff, High School, Homecoming Dance, M/M, School Dances, Sleepovers, Star-crossed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 15:28:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19976344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coallaii/pseuds/Coallaii
Summary: Chip had always been a good kid, obeying the rules of the school. He dreamed of becoming a police officer, honored by the entire town of Dashville. He stayed up with his grades and was considered a teacher's pet to his fellow peers, Mrs. Misha, the principal especially. However, a particular troublemaker had caught his eye. Bandit, a quiet kid in class, but always glancing around for shiny things to snag, ranging from the silver bits of pencils to paperclips and even small plastic jewels. Chip was head over heals, he was just adorable, and Chip wanted to protect him. But Bandit kept pushing him away, and Chip was growing ever more frustrated. So, with the help of his only friend, Ember, will he be able to win over the reclusive guy?





	1. The Beginning

Dashville was a small town in the middle of nowhere. The climate varied heavily. The summers were hot and dry, there was almost never rain. Thick, dry forests swamped one side of the half-valley, near the walls. Meanwhile, down near the center and the edge towards the cliff-side overlooking a shady beach, it was dry with few plants. It was made mainly of thick, hot, orange stone and sand. It wasn't common for someone to bring a cactus plant to grow there, but it would always wilt in the harsh winters. The winters would bring down the only precipitation, with heavy ice forming and snow coating the ground. It was like going from hell to Antarctica in a matter of minutes. Fall and Spring were the only tame times, and often, those were when the town was most active, coming down to the sandy beach and enjoying the gentle breeze, sometimes even a small drizzle would bless the land and bringing life. The calm period was enough to plant crops, so a lot of the town was farmland to sustain them. This meant a lot of the homes were compact and tiny.

This included Chip's home. Despite his father being an honorable police officer that made lots of money, him and his wife and their son all lived in a compact row home. They lived on the edge, next to them being Chip's childhood friend, Ember. Ember's mother was a firefighter, and she had died in a blaze one summer night, and Ember had always been determined to become a firefighter to make her mom proud and not make the same mistakes she did, and to protect others. Chip had a similar motivation, he wanted to be like his father, his father was caring and wanted to do what was right, to defend the innocent. Chip always looked out for his younger sister, Lucky, and Ember. Ember lived alone after she turned 13, her father always away on some business trip, so she had learned to cook, pay bills with the money that her dad sent over to make sure she had enough to get by, do laundry and keep herself happy. It was always fun hanging out with Ember, her house went by her rules, so often, the two could wrestle and play. Sleepovers as they eat as much ice-cream and pizza as they want, ordering so much junk food, they are left with awful stomach aches in the morning, staying up late and watching scary movies, and even visiting the forest and racing each other through the dry forest. It was a good life. In such a small valley, it was hard to not know everyone, and so when somebody had a birthday, it was a huge deal! You would get mountains upon mountains of presents and you could be friends with everyone if you tried hard enough. But as of recent, a particular guy had been taking up his thoughts. Ember would always tease him about going after the tough and bad guys. But Chip couldn't help it! They were good deep down, he knew he was, he just had a bad habit, and he wanted to protect him. He was tiny and cute, just the thought of him made Chip blush.

That guy was Bandit, a scrawny guy, always a baggy and torn black hoodie with a small silver chain around his neck. He had torn, tan jeans and often wore camo tennis shoes. He had jet black hair and pale skin like snow, he obviously didn't get enough sunlight. But what really caught his attention was his eyes, his beautiful, murky yellow eyes. The way his foot would always tap in a rhythmic pattern on the tiled marble floor as he leaned on his desk, head hidden in his exposed arms with his sleeves rolled up to his elbow. How he always seemed to move with haste yet grace. His low, baritone voice, and his laugh when he hanged out with Sly, Rascal, and Oscar. Chip was head over heals, he didn't know what to do or think.

He tried to reach out to him a few times, but he was always rejected, being told that 'a goody-to-shoes shouldn't hang out around someone like him' and waving his hand dismissively. Even when Chip invited to his parties and to go out to places like the library, he never came. He would wait for the entire day. He never saw him outside of school. It was all so strange to him. He just wanted to hang out with him. He would sometimes leave friendly notes in his locker and in sheets of paper tucked in his jacket the times he left it in the locker-room for gym class. 

"I just don't know what to do Ember!" Chip whined, cupping his head in his hands and rolling onto his back, screeching into his rough palms, "It's almost the end of our last year and I've been trying ever since middle school! It's hopeless."

The scent of pizza and half-melted ice-cream in the bleary spring-summer heat wafted through the room. The TV was on low as it played a silly kids movie, mainly as background noise so that Ember could keep calm. Chip was laying, sprawled out on the futon that was down, almost like a bed, perfect for sleepovers. His dark brown hair was a tangled mess as it was sprawled out on the fluffy white pillow. He was covered in quilts and a plush comforter and wearing his favorite dark blue shirt and gray shorts. Textbooks that were unused and his heavy-duty black backpack was half-open with open snack containers and journals and papers were spilling out. Ember was beside the messy guy, her black hair smooth and sleek, and her side of the futon being neat with a single, thin white blanket and a pink, plush pillow, and her signature dalmatian plushie in her hands. Her arms hung off of the futon, dangling Amber, her plushie, off of the bed and swinging her around absentmindedly. 

"Well, if I had a say in anything, it's either about time you move on, or tell him how you feel. Then you can find out if all of this is worth it. Besides, there are many fish in the sea," Ember hummed, swinging Amber back onto the bed and poking at her nose before kissing the top of her forehead.

"No, no! You don't understand," Chip pulled his hands away from his face, he didn't realize he had begun to cry until his face became hot and his vision blurred, his arm back at his side now, "He is the only one I want, he is the only one I've ever felt this way about, the way he-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you are super gay and you love all these 'things' about him," she huffed, "Either man up and tell him or give up, you can't sit around and wait for something to happen, you, of all people should know this," Ember had enough of his shit at this point, and Chip knew it.

Chip sighed himself, propping himself upward onto his elbows, Ember grinned at him, "Besides, guess what. In a week, it is homecoming, and guess who snagged an extra ticket in case a certain guy had the confidence to finally ask out his long-time crush," she grinned, "you should like, ask him out and shit, even offer to give him some money to get a half-decent outfit, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would have nice things like a tux or something, maybe a nice black shirt would be enough and some dress pants, eh?"

Chip, still bleary-eyed, blinked and looked up at Ember, his warm blue eyes round and wide with shock, "Ember... would you really do that for me?"

"Of course, you're my only friend," she grinned, nudging him roughly in the rib-cage which caused a yelp, "The only thing you need to do is man up for once, ain't too hard, hmm?"

"Okay, okay," Chip whined softly, "I'll do it."

"Good!" Ember clapped her hands together, "Let's get an outfit ready for school tomorrow, it's gonna be a big day for you, finally askin' out your crush and all," she teased.

"Oh, shut up!"

After a few moments of silence, Ember burst out into tearful laughter. Chip joined in, the two kicking off the blankets on the futon and creating a huge pile on the floor. Chip was filled with anxiety for tomorrow, he couldn't believe he was going to do this. This was huge. But he knew it was for the best, Ember was right, he couldn't wait any longer. Butterflies filled his stomach at the thought of Bandit. His beautiful eyes, piercing into him, in curiosity as Chip faced him, a confident grin on his face as he finally admitted his feelings. The small guy leaping into his arms, feeling his soft skin for the first time. And then after homecoming, he could come over and they could chill at Ember's place and talk some more there and maybe play some games - anything could happen! He giggled like a child in excitement after a while and Ember teasing him about it.


	2. The Question of a Lifetime

A lump appeared in Chip's throat. His clothes felt too tight on him. He felt hot and sweaty as pent up anxiety built up in him. He had changed quickly in the bathroom stall before class ended and was hoping to catch Bandit before he left school grounds. Luckily, he knew that Bandit always hid behind the school to chat with his friends before leaving, he saw them one time while heading out to the parking lot behind the school to go to a doctor's appointment in his dad's car instead of the bus. He had seen him multiple times doing this. He clutched the roses he had bought, the plastic wrapping stung into his shaking and sweaty palms. He huffed and pushed himself out of the stall and then into the hallway. It had grown mostly empty by now, other than for the few stragglers and Ember, who was grinning madly and leaning on the wall, facing Chip.

"Okay loverboy, time to go ask him out," she grinned, shifting her backpack on her back and her blue eyes gleaming with amusement.

Chip huffed and turned his head away momentarily, he wanted to hide in something to cover the red spreading across his cheeks, but there was nothing, so he simply ducked his head and followed behind Ember out of the school like a duckling following its mother. Ember leaned onto the hot, brick wall outside of the school, "I'll be waiting for you here, we can walk home together, okay bud?"

"Yeah," Chip sighed.

Ember was pleased, grinning as she quickly handed the ticket to Chip who then practically dashed off towards the back of the school. Chip could faintly hear Ember chuckling softly but he ignored it. He slipped behind one side of the building so he couldn't be seen by Ember if she was looking back. He wanted to lean back against the shaded wall and close his eyes, trying to gain up the confidence, but he didn't want to get his semi-formal blue dress-shirt all ruined. It took him a moment to steady his breathing, he adjusted his collar quickly and sighed, finally walking to the back of the school. The lump in his throat returned and he hated it, making it feel even harder to breath in this heat of the summer. He should've worn something with short-sleeves, he silently regretted. As he turned corner, he spotted Sly and Rascal, Oscar was harder to spot since he was hiding in the deep-cutting shadows, for some reason, he always hated sunlight. But just as he had guessed, Bandit was there, sitting beside Oscar and chatting quietly while sharing a bit of jerky or something. Sly was the first one to notice him, who sneered, "Well, if it isn't Chip, look at you all dressed up," he snickered, "going on a date with Ember?"

Oscar and Bandit glanced up from the small conversation that they were having. Bandit stood up and anxiety began to seize him even more now that he was face-to-face with him. He frantically shook his head, "No, no! I don't like her like that!"

"Then what are you here for?" Bandit growled, approaching Chip.

Bandit would always try to assert dominance and appear aggressive towards anyone who interacted with him, although Chip wasn't the one who would fall for that trick, but he was already so anxious, that when Bandit shoved him up against the wall by the collar, feeling the heat of his breath against his breath and the low growl in his voice, he only blushed harder, "I-I..." he murmured, "I came to ask you out t-to prom, B-Bandit."

That caught all five of them off guard, since Chip didn't know he would even say that, and that he wasn't going to just run away. Bandit released his death-grip on Chip's collar and Chip almost collapsed against the wall. His face was still hot with blush. He internally hated how much of a blushy mess he was around Bandit. Bandit glanced at Oscar, Slyl, and Rascal who were just as confused as he was. Bandit was the first one to speak, "That, for sure wasn't expected," he pinched the bridge of his nose as he let out a sigh and closing his eyes, before fixing his peircing golden gaze back on Chip, "You? Out of all people? You like someone like me? This isn't just a sick joke?" he inquired, pushing him back up against the wall which caused the breath in Chip to stagger once again, "Chip, you're a fool. A big fool," he sneered, "I don't even want to go to prom, and you are against everything I do. Why?"

"I just can't explain, okay?" he sputtered out, "just, I-I see that there is good in y-you, and just, ev-everything about you is a-adorable..." he murmured, for the love of Mira, stop stuttering!

Chip's face turned bright red at that and he pushed him harder up against the wall and he snarled, "Don't..."

Rascal, Sly, and Oscar began to chuckle loudly, repeating that he was cute, which only caused Bandit to get more angry. He snarled at his friends and his muscles tensed up. He knew that sorta look, he was about to fight them. Chip felt too embarrassed to stay there and stop them, he just stood there and watched as Bandit swung at Sly. Sly quickly darted away and grinned, still laughing as his friends all ran into the woods behind the school, presumably to go their own ways home. Bandit huffed and turned around to see Chip.

Chip was about to walk away, when Bandit growled, "Stay right there."

Chip froze up and Bandit approached. Chip was confused when Bandit's hardened and frustrated expression melted into something that almost looked like sympathy, which confused Chip, but it was a welcome surprise, "Listen, it's stupid that you have a crush on somebody like me, but, if you really insist and you can find a way to get me in, I'll go because I don't have a ticket and Lucy isn't selling any more."

Chip's grinned, his blue eyes lighting up, "I have an extra ticket... but, you'll really go with me?" his voice was higher and louder.

Bandit hissed, "Yes, but don't be so loud, I don't want them to hear because they'll tease me about it," he shifted, "I'm going because I know you've had a crush on me for a long time, I've seen how you look and act around me for all these years, I just didn't know you had the guts to actually ask me about, and it's the end of the year, so why not, it's my last day in this forsaken town anyways before I run away."

"You're running away?" his eyes widened with shock, "but wouldn't your family be worried about you?"

"What family?" he scoffed, closing his eyes momentarily, "my dad hates me and wants me out of the house and my mom is long gone, I have no living relatives to go too, so why stay?"

"Well, maybe you could come stay with me! I practically live with Ember and she has a spare room that is usually for me but I mainly sleep on the couch anyways. I could always ask her about it, and we can try to get your dad to say its okay then."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" he sneered.

"Because I care about you, okay? Can you at least consider it? I just want to make sure that you are safe if your dad really wants you out and so that we can um, stay in contact..."

"Fine!" Bandit huffed, "I'll see you tonight at prom, but don't expect me to wear anything too nice, I don't have anything to wear. I'll tell you my decision then."

Chip was left in utter shock. Bandit had actually said yes, even though he was going to run away, and was considering to stay with him for a while because his dad wanted him one. While even though Bandit wasn't in the best condition and he was left wondering why his dad wanted him gone, he was still filled with excitement. Maybe he had a chance with him after all if he had said yes! He smiled and walked back to the front of the school.

Ember grinned, "So, how did it go?"

Chip smiled. He wrapped her arms around her in a quick hug and almost tackled her to the ground with his weight, which caught her completely off guard. The two giggled, tears formed in Chip's eyes as he announced, "He said he's coming with me to prom!"


End file.
